A Day We Can All Celebrate

What beer styles do you like?

My favourites, and this really isn't shocking for my regular readers, are Bohemian Pilsner, Stout in all its forms, Bitter (ordinary, best and extra special) and on occasion a weizen. Looking at that list makes me think that really they are all very simple beers, but all of them damned difficult to do well. Perhaps I am just a demanding drinker, not satisfied with drinking paint stripper style pale ales, preferring balance and knowing that to do those styles well, a brewer must be at the height of his craft.

Today is International Beer Day, which has 3 declared aims:

1. To gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.
2. To celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.
3. To unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.

This is my kind of day. It's about beer in general rather than some factionalist approach to beer styles, it's about friends, pubs, drinking - the things that make beer the everyman drink, shared by toffs and proles alike.

Happy International Beer Day people, drink what you like, with whom you like, in a place you like and let's celebrate our passion for beer!!